20 Somerset Maugham said, “To acquire the

20 Somerset Maugham said, “To acquire the

20 Reasons for Decline in Reading Habit W. Somerset Maugham said, “To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all miseries of life. ” Reading habit has been a great help in developing knowledge. But today, in an age when browsing the net, playing with funky handsets and passing non-stop SMS seem to be the order of the day. The internet boom, interactive medium of images, TV and the silver screen filling the minds of the modern youth, taking majority of their free time we have to think seriously how the growing generations will find time to read.While technology is taking control steadily over individual lives, the reading habit is fast vanishing into thin air.

I used to sigh at the city libraries presenting a gloomy picture of gradual decline in voracious readers who used to flock in the evenings. Twenty reasons for decline in reading habit 1) People think that reading books consumes more time than referring in the computers. Computers seem to be more attractive to them than books. 2) The question of spending money on books is over-ruled by the thought that everything is available in a computer. People prefer to spend money on something else than spending on books.

) The programs in internet and TV are more attractive than sitting in a corner and reading a book. 4) With the modern life style visiting places and other recreations or hobbies occupy most of our time. 5) There are a thousand reasons today for avoiding reading books or literatures. Some even say that her new nail extensions have made it too difficult to turn pages! 6) There are risks of losing books while carrying them. Moreover, why to carry a burden unnecessarily when there is a laptop available? 7) Now people are more worried about earning money and spending every second in finding ways to find sources of income. ) A sense of escapism is spreading saying, “Along with giving up coffee, alcohol, strenuous exercise which may affect my family life I would like to give up reading also. ” 9) Some say that there is too much sex in books these days and so they want to avoid it.

10) Many complain that in this fast life where to find time to read. Everything has become instant and people are losing their patience to spend time in reading and learning things. 11) Years ago people used to discuss about what they had read which induced others to read. But today TV programs and other things occupy their discussion. 2) Some allergic conditions restrain people from handling books as they may have fungi or virus. 13) Nowadays we find most of the people wearing spectacles. Their eyes are easily strained.

They find it easier to spend time in something else than in reading books. 14) The attracting images in the internet along with information in changeable fonts are easier and more practical than reading books. 15) Change in lifestyle is another reason for this decline. Decades back there were a lot of magazines and books kept on the table in houses for the use of parents as well as kids. They had time and there was no other time passing.

But to day the situation is different. 16) Parents themselves should be exemplary to foster up the habit of reading. When they do not show any interest in reading how can we expect the children to read? But where is time for them for reading in their pursuit of life struggle? 17) The tough and intense competition in the job-seeking system of education (in the Indian context) has further deepened the insecurity among the middle class families discouraging the habit of reading books other than the school books. 18) In the present money-oriented life kids have to spend all their time in homework, tuitions and extra classes.

From the very starting of education (say LKG) this is the condition in India. How can we expect them to develop a reading habit? 19) Indian parents think that reading books will divert the attention of their children from their serious tasks and goals of achieving high marks in examinations. Only high marks decide the future of their children. They have to work seriously on their school text books to get high marks. For them reading books is a waste of time! 20) Another reason the publishers say about the reading habit is the book market.

Consumerism is their only scale that decides publication of books.Moreover deforestation and scarcity of printing materials have increased the prices of the books which affect the reading habit seriously. Although people are not reading books as they used to, their thirst for information seems to be limitless. The habit of reading will come back again after sometime. “Media is not a zero sum game,” says Paul Saffo, a director of the Institute For Future in Menlo Park, California, “Just because a new medium arrives doesn’t mean an old medium dies out.

” He hopes for a resurrection of the habit of reading books!